are bush budgies really bush budgies or are they just a marketing ploy of some to get you to buy a small pet type budgie??? I wouldn't mind the idea of having some "bush budgies" if they are infact a normal, everyday, run of the mill, fair dinkum, budgie from the bush...

You know that is a good question, I do know there are the authentic bush budgie and I am sure purchasing from a reputable breeder is the most important thing you can do and do your research about them so you can identify them because I am sure there are difference between them and a normal green.

Yes bush budgies are a seperate thing. They are much smaller than a regular budgie. If you do a search in the photos page there is a discussion of them there which has a photo comparison. I have a single pair which I wish would breed for me, they don't seem keen to settle in a breeding cage, maybe a factor of them being less domesticated How much are they tryng to charge you for them Jimmy? Don't let them charge you an arm and a leg

Bush budgies sell for $40 a pair here in SA.

They are tiny little things and are the complete opposite to a show budgie.

Remember to show us photos if you get some :fly:

Good luck

here it is:

 

http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index....148&hl=bush

I haven't found a place yet that sells them... I have come across a place in amberwell but thats on the other site of town, I would have to go after work or something... If I did get them I would breed only bush budgie to bush budgie... I wouldn't want to mix the 2 types... but I am just a tad bit sinacle... I know of the group in the netherlands that are trying to breed only normal greens but they are still doing it with show or pet types... I am just wondering where these little bush budgies came from all of a sudden someone got the idea to go get them from the bush... hmmmm.. maybe...

 

 

I have since been on the phone to the DSE (Department of Sustainability and Environment) and they have informed me that you cannot get a license to go and catch wild budgerigar and then breed from them... Not sure if its the same in other states but that is the Victorian DSE policy...

Edited October 14, 200816 yr by Neat

Jimmy you are correct. There are a few breeders that just breed them and do so because they do not want the line to die out. There is also a group of people who go up to central Australia and catch young or raid nests and bring them back to Victoria to sell them (not legal and I have seen these poor guys first hand). When they have population issues some people are allowed to go to the wild and catch them and bring them back to selected breeders to introduce new stock in to the existing lines. There are also some zoo groups that are starting up breeding lines from wild caught Budgies to help maintain the population.

 

MB's pair, the female has blue on her belly, this is a natural mutation (and where the English type started) They guy I got them off sells them for around $40 a pair but some people can sell them for up to $100 a bird. If you look at alot of them you need to look for ones that have no other colour on them and also have the pointer/sharper head. When the show type breeding started they selected the birds with more colours appearing and also rounder flatter heads and also the larger one.

 

Go for small, sharp head, normal greens to make sure you get as close to the original as you can. Hope that helps.

Edited October 14, 200816 yr by Neat

Thanks AV.

 

Surprise Surprise the Government Department got back to me and confirmed that no one in Victoria has a legal right to trap wild budgerigar. I've been to some pet shops and I've seen very small budgerigars for sale. I went to one at the Vic Market today and they said they hadn't heard of bush budgies yet one of theres looked not much larger than a canary... if it was bigger at all.

 

I think it is a great idea to keep the stocks high of the original but I'd prefer it legal, that way the person selling you could show a licence or something and the number of wild budgies being sold could be capped... do you think I am supporting illegal activity buy purchasing a pair of these 'bush budgies'?

there are some breeders who maintain breeding colonies of them which are from stock which has been in captivity for a long time(before it was illegal to trap them) and keeping them seperate, I would be going with one of these breeders if you can find one

yeah I spoke to a couple of places today, only one really seemed to know what he was talking about... he said he got them from a guy that works for the Department of Sustainability and Environment of Vic (DSE) but was looking at getting a guy from Adelaide who has a trapping licence through the DSE of South Australia... judging from the information I recieved from the DSE today I would say the guy in victoria is doing it on the down low so to speak... Wouldn't mind contacting the DCE(SA) and seeing if I could get a contact through there...

Rockypoint Aviaries: Greg Brandon breeder of mutation eastern rosellas, princess parrots, green cheek conures, moustache, major mitchells, alexandrines, bush budgies. Ph: 02 6742 2057

Thanks Kaz. 02 thats Sydney yeah? wonder if he ships... will have to give him a call...

 

I did find this:

 

http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/biodivers...mits/index.html

I had to laugh JB. I found an add for bush budgies and it reads...............

 

QUOTE

There are also 8 bush budgies- green, olive green, and blue. 6 males, 2 females. These are all adults. $5 each.

 

 

dont sound like bush budgies to me

Thats exactly my point... If I'm going to get bush budgies I want them to be genuine bush budgies... I think alot of people have done the whole breed smaller ting so that they can tap into this market, which I think is a genuine market but a bunch of good honest people wanting to do the right thing by the wild budgerigar are getting stung... Its great to think that you are helping keep a species alive but the truth is some of the 'bush budgies' are just small pet types...

Hey Jimmy, if we can organise to get them to the airport one time when my other half is travelling form Sydney he'd be happy to cart them down for you/us He flies about once a month, next trip down will be the start of December now. Unfortunately he can't pick them up as he only has a motorbike but if the breeder is near the airport and doesn't mind meeting him then we can probably make it work It wouldn't cost anything either for shipping as through east coast airports they can travel as part of luggage allowance.

I'll give the guy a call tomorrow and see what he's on about. I'm not really interested if they arn't really bush budgies but yeah that wouldn't be a bad option if he is legit... I just don't want to help out no poachers. I think there is an honest way to get this and it might be a bit more pricey and a bit more time consuming but if I can do my bit for the humble wild budgerigar then I will

MB gave the guy a call and he is about 3 hours out of Sydney he said... so that doesn't look good... he said they are having a big show/sale in April next year and a guy from Melbourne always comes up so to call just before that and he might be able to get me some for $40 a pair... He also said that they are about 10th or 11th generation from the wild. I'm going to try and find a local shop (prefer breeder if possible) and if I don't find some good ones by April I'll give him a call... He seems like he is genuinely trying to keep them as close to the bush as when he first got them even though they are 11 generations along... Thanks again for his number KAZ

Edited October 15, 200816 yr by Neat

Hey Jimmy that might be Ivan from Burwood Birds and pets, he get's birds in from interstate. Give them a yell they sometimes have them in.

Saw some lovely bush budgies last weekend at a birdclub sale. Werent all that expensive I didnt think at $20 each.

I got ripped off on price for my bushies. $100 for the pair! But they are genuine bushies. When you look at a bushie and even compare them to pet types they are heaps smaller and leaner as well. Quite slim. More to come... GTG to work hehehe